SHARP-EYED Dave Jones is likely to be the only person attending this year’s Ryder Cup whose attention won’t be focused on Tiger Woods.

As the emergency planning officer for the Welsh Ambulance Service’s south east region, his job is to safeguard the 45,000 crowd expected each day at the Celtic Manor, in Newport, for one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

Having already worked at several big sporting events, such as FA cup finals, a Rugby World Cup, Six Nations internationals, Wales Rally GBs, cricket Test matches and one day-internationals and Welsh Open golf tournament, Mr Jones, from Penygraig, is taking the task in his stride.

The 56-year-old father of three said: “While everyone else watches the game I’ll be watching them. My priority is their safety.

“I’m not there for the golf but I do enjoy the challenge of organising the cover for an event like this and showing what the Welsh Ambulance Service can do.

“We will work with the organisers and with their medical providers, Event Medical, to cover everything we can.

“We will have two teams of seven, headed by an officer, with three paramedics accompanying doctors on three specially adapted stretcher buggies and three more emergency ambulance staff at fixed points.

“I just want to play our part in making sure it is a great event because people like Sir Terry Matthews and the Welsh Assembly Government have worked so hard to bring this to Wales.”